Method and apparatus for gauging rail



March 29, 1960 Filed Feb. 16, 1953 H. H. TALBoYs 2,930,328

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GAUGING RAIL 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 29, 1960 H. H. TALBoYs 2,930,328

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GAUGING RAIL FilOd Feb. `16, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 29, 1960 H. H. TALBQYS METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GAUGING RAIL Filed Feb. 16. 1955 4 Sheets-Shea*l 3 .if/afweys March 29, 1960 H. H. TALBoYs 2,930,328

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GAUGING RAIL Filed Fcb. 16, 1953 4 sheets-sheet 4 @fsf/f fly@ ma@ a nited States Patent il METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GAUGING RAIL Henry H. Talboys, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Nordberg Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application February 16, 1953, Serial No. 336,973

3 Claims. (Cl. 10416) The present invention relates to a method and mechanism for gauging the rail of a track, before it is secured to the ties. t

One purpose is to provide such a method in which an unlaid rail, and the plates therefor, are gauged in relation to a rail alreadyin place.

Another purpose is to provide an improved method for securing tie plates to ties.

Another purpose is to provide an improved lmethod of gauging rail which includes gauging the tie plates, accurately drilling or otherwise aperturing the ties through the holes of the gauged tie plates, and thereafter employing securing members for truing and securing the tie plates in relation to the accurately placed holes in the ties.

Another purpose is to provide an improved method of gauging rail, which includes initially making or drilling gauged apertures in the ties and thereafter employing securing or positioning members for truing and positioning the tie platesV in relation to the previously accurately placed holes in the ties.

Another purpose is to provide a method of tie plate securing, which avoids the disadvantages of the employment of the conventional metal cut spikes.

Other purposes will appear from time to time in the course of the specification and claims.

The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating the embodiment of the method;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the structure "lofv Figure 2;

Figure 4 illustrates a tie plate pregauging member which, under some circumstances, may be employed;

Figure 5 illustrates a tie plate in position;

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figure 5 illustrating the procedure of drilling gauged apertures through the tie plate;

Figure 7 diagrammatically illustrates the insertion of securing or positioning members;

Figure 8 illustrates one type of securing member;

Figure 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 illustrates another type of securing member;

Figure 1l is a section on the line 11-11 of Figure 10; and

Figure 12 is an end view of the tie securing member of Figure 10.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols the specification and drawings.

Referring to the drawings, 1 generally indicates the roughout ballast beneath and between the ties of a track. The A 2,930,328 Patented Mar. 29, 1960 It is found advantageous to drill the holes for the opposite tie Aplates in predetermined gauged relation to the already secured rail 3. As an example of a mechanism which` may be employed for that purpose, a cross frame 10 may be employed which is balanced on the rail 3 by llanged rail engaging wheels 11 suitably journaled, in turn, to extending supports 12. The Wheel 11 may be held in predetermined and uniform relation to the rail 3, for example by any suitable positioning rollers 13 which, if desired, may be made adjustable by any suitable adjusting and securing means generally indicated at 14. Thus, by a proper setting of the rollers 13, the drill heads at the opposite end of the cross frame 10, which will later be described, may be precisely positioned in relation to the rail 3.

15 is any suitable counterweighting structure located to the right of the rail 3, referring to the parts in the position in which they are shown in Figure 2. 16 diagrammatically illustrates any suitable motor, with its motor shaft, or motor-driven shaft 17. 18, 19 indicate 'drill spindles which may receive any suitable drill bits 18a and 19a. 26 are any vsuitable spindle guides extending downwardly from the cross frame 10. 2.1 is any suitable centering and positioning yoke, actuated for example by the vertical member or rod 22, which may be raised and lowered for example by the lever 23, pivoted as at 24 to any suitable support 25. 26 is an end handle. It will be understood that the user, by pressing downwardly on the handle 26, depresses the member 21, which is received in suitable circumferential slots in the drill elements 18 and 19. Thus the result of depressing the handle 26 is to move the drill bits 18a and 19a downwardly into the tie to drill yapertures which are precisely positioned in relation to the rail 3. Any suitable driving means maybe employed for driving the bits 18a and 19a, continuously turning their movement into the tie.

Figure 2 includes a more or less diagrammatic showing under which the bevel gear 30 drives the pinion 31 journaled on the vetical pin 32 upwardly extending from the support 25. Moving in unison with the gear 31 is a pulley 33 about which passes the belt 34 which, in turn, passes about the driven pulleys 35 and 36 and is suitably tensioned by a suitable tensioning pulley 37. The members 20 may be splined or otherwise secured to the shafts 37 and 38, which rotate with the pulleys 35 and 36 respectively. Thus, a constant driving connection is maintained through the preferably constantly driven belt 34 at a position of depression and elevation of the yoke 21 and of the bits 18a and 19a. The operator may raise and lower the cross frame 10 by any suitable manual handle 40. If desired, the elevation of the cross frame 10 may be adjusted and, if desired, it may be supported by the skid or shoe 41, which rests on Vthe outer ends of the ties 2. This shoe is adjustably supported for example by the frame members 42, 43, provided with adjusting slots 44 and securing members 45.

It will be understood that whereas accurately gauged drilling can be done manually, it is advantageous' and important to have a drilling device, of which an `example is above described, to drill precisely gauged holes into the ties. Such holes are shown for example at X in Figures 6 and 7.

The tie plates 4 to be applied are conventional and are previously described in detail. The apertures 5 areprovided to receive means for positioning the tie plates themselves. The tie plates may be positioned in advance of the drilling, as diagrammatically illustrated'for examtienne ple in Figures 2, 5 and 6. Or the drilling may be donc before the tie plates are applied. In the former case, any suitable means may be provided for gauging the tie plates in the proper position. A tool for example may be employed as shown in. Figure 4, including` across bar 60, an abutment 61 to engage the Arail 3,.and.an outer abutment 62 having lower edges 63 which are positioned between the shoulders 7 of the tie ,plate 4 and define the space occupied by theV bottom flange of the second rail later to be applied.- This gauge or pregauging member is given merely as an example of a cheap and practical and easily used tool-for initially gauging the posi-v tion of the tie plate sulliciently closely so that the-bits d8a and i9a will pass through the outer apertures 5 of the'tie'plates.V Where, as is generally the case, the apertures will be drilled before the tie plates are placed, some such gauging means may be useful for thereafter preliminarily positioning the plates. Or the operator may simply manually drop-the tie plates into an approximately correct position in relation to the already drilled apertures. u l l Assume that a tie plate is in the position as shown in Figure 6, generally aligned with the already drilled apertures X.` The operator then inserts a securing niember or peg or spike, which will now be described. Referringfor example to the forms of Figures 8 and 9, the spike includes a cylindrical body portion 55, preferably with a bottom-taper 56. It has also a generally conic outwardlyexpanding camming surface 57 anda generally 'cylindrical head 58. When-such a member is used, as shown inFigure 7,V the cylindrical body portion or pin 55 enters the accurately drilled hole and the conic surface-57cams the plate into precisely gauged position. It will be clear that as a minimum of two of the ,pins are inserted `and driven 'into place, a gauge plate is then properly positioned with its shoulders 7 gauged to receive and position the bottom flange of the rail. The form of Figures 8 and 9 is formed of wood, or some substance softer than the tie plate, and thehead 58 and the upper part of the conic portion 57 are of greater diameter than the apertures 5 through which they pass. ln the case of the employment ofl wooden pegs or pins, the pegs may be treated with a preservative having the general characteristics of creosote. As the operator uses any suitable mechanical or manual means, fsuch as the hammer Z, to drive the members intov position, thev initial result is a camming of the plate shoulders into proper position and the final result is the shearing olf or compression of the relatively soft head, completely lilling the l apertures 5. t

In the form of Figures 10 and following. a harder member is employed, which may be of metal, and which has a cylindrical bottom shank 70 preferably with a bottom bevel as at 71, and includes a generally pyramidal camming portion 72 ending in a head 73.l The lower end 74 of the pyramidal camming portion 72 is smaller than the aperture 5, while the upper end 75 islarger. The peg, Figure l0, is driven until Vthe sides of the pyramidal portion 72 completely ll the aperture 5, thus camming the plate, Figure 5; into proper gauging position and holding it there. ln either event, with the` use of either of the securing and positioning means shown, the apertures X serve as the gauging means and the insertion and drivinghomeof `the spike, or pin, or peg first moves the tie plate accurately to correct gaugingy position by` snuglyr filling the tie` plate apertures. Thereafter, the rail is applied, properly positioned bythe tieplate shoulders 7.and is secured by any` suitable Vspikes driven through the inner tie plate apertures 6. i It will be realized that whereas I have described-and shown a practical and operative method and practical and operative means for carrying out that method, nevertheless many changes may be made in the order and `cletails of the method `steps and in the details, size, shape, number and disposition of parts of the mechanism used.

The description and drawings l should therefore betaken as in a broad sense illustrative or diagrammatic rather than as matters of limitations.

The use and operation of the invention are as follows:

The particular advantage of the herein described mechanism and method is that when t one rail has been laid, the second rail of a track Ycan be precisely gauged in relation to it-by-drillirig holes in the oppositeendsof the ties at a predetermined distance fromuthe lalready/ plaid and secured rail. The ,drilling mechanism generally shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5 shows means for drilling a plurality` of holes in unison.` Only two drills are indicated, but it will lne-understood, of course, thatitis .within the scope of the present inventionto drill simultaneously or separately all the holes necessary.

Either before or after drilling the holes, the tie plates are positioned in approximately accuraterelationship to the holes drilled or to be-drilled. `-When the tie plates are in position over `the holes, the operatoror operators can precisely position the tie plates in gauged position by merely driving into thealready drilled apertures securingand positioning' means which cam or draw the tie plate to proper position. While the hole can be drilled through initially-positionedtie plates, it is, in most circumstances, advantageous to drill the `holes first and thereafter to position the tie plates in proper position t0 receive the securing members.

4Two practical securing elements are shown herein, one ofqcom'pressible or shearable material and the other of vharder material or metal. A characteristic of both isthat when they are driven into the already drilled apertures, they do not `have any tendency to push or pull the tiefplate out of its desired position. On the contrary, they pull or cam it into preciselygauged position, ready to` receive the rail. When conventional cut spikesare driven through a gauge plate inthe usual manner, they tend toV push the gaugeplate out of position, a disadvantage which is entirely obviated by the procedure and elements herein described.

1. A method of laying a second railY along a railroad right-of-way having a series o frailway ties along which a first railrwis already secured inwposition, byhthe use of an as'semblyi. having. @drilling mechanism, thereon. and tie plates. with, positioning-apparues, therein; ifillldig thesteps of supporting the assembly formoyeinentualong theriaht-Of-way. pQSitiOuinathe ,drilling mechanism@ the assemblyata predetermidlateral' gauge distance with relation to the l'irst rail, moving the assembly with the, d rilling.mechanism thereon` along` the right-of-way in a step-by-step manner while holdingthe drilling mechanism at the predetermined gauge distance, drilling positioning holes between ,the` steps in atleast some of the ties at the predetermined gauge distance with respect to the iirst rail without regard to the position of the tie platres,..late,rally camming 4thetie. plates `into accurate gauged position on the drilled ties by` driving preliminary positioning pegs having enlarged heads into the thus drilled positioning holesin the tiesy through the apertures in the tieplates so thatuthe tie plates willbe `accurately gauged relative to the lirst rail and will also be 'preliminai-ily secured Vto the ties, rand vthereafter laying and spiking a second rail on the thus positioned and secured tie plates. Y,

The mhethoduofclaim `1,.,fr lrtliner characterizediby and including the steps of,preliminarypositioning the tief Plates. in approximate guasedfrgston :and .thereafter c irilliingwthe` positioning holes into the ties through the apertures@ the-tie plates i ,-3 .;ffl`hemeth9d gf `claim 1further characterized Lby thetstenf positioning the tie. plates in approximate gaugedpositiononly after the positioning holes have been drilled in the ties.

832,332 McConnell Oct. 2, 1906 1,186,168 Buck June 6, 1916 1,210,908 Collet Jan. 2, 1917 1,311,128 Kilgour July 22, 1919 1,559,359 Pahmeyer Oct. 27, 1925 2,049,105 Clarke July 28, v1936 2,306,233 Smith Dec. 22, 1942 Stephens Apr. 13, 1943 Webster July 31, 1951. Bartlett Sept. 23, 1952 Godfrey Aug. 25, 1953 Wright Jan. 17, 1956 Caples et al. Mar. 19, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain of 1845 

